Bridgeport Interact 1 Mk2 w/ TNC 151B - help please

[mwoodard]

I am new to commercial CNCs and machining in general. I recently bought an Interact Series 1 mill with a Heidenhain TNC-151B. (NC Software 234000 05 and PLC Software 244616 01) It has Bosch drives and a KTK spindle drive supplying a DC spindle motor.

I know absolutely nothing about Heidenhain controls but have read much in the past 2 weeks. All of my experience to date has been using friend's Bridgeport BOSS CNC under MACH control. I had so much fun with that I built a CNC router also under MACH. This is a whole different animal.

The Interact came with two schematics and no manuals but I was able to easily get this up and functional (less the 3PH spindle cabinet) on single phase power. I have performed some initial check out for the past couple of weeks while assembling parts for a rotophase.

The mill's condition was the old "working when we disconnected it" and I have had some very encouraging results after getting it home and initially fired up.

I was able to reference all 3 axis (after unsticking X/Y limit/reference switches) and jog with the MPG and joysticks (once I repaired the X/Y joystick, Z stick was fine). The Y axis has what I believe to be a servo tuning problem but that is for another time. I was able to enter values in all 3 axis to establish a datum. This is significant to me because it shows that the number pad and ENT keys work.

There were a few stored programs in the TNC but when I tried to execute them, nothing happened. (execute = START after selecting the program) I am also unable to execute MDI commands. I can enter them but can't for the life of me get the machine to execute. I assume that the START button executes the command.I figured that I was probably missing something because I don't have the spindle drive functional so I moved on until I got 3ph power to the machine.

Yesterday, I got the spindle cabinet under power (home brewed rotary phase converter) and have confirmed the spindle runs. I am not so sure that all is fine because anytime I press the Cycle Start button (schematic calls it that, the paint has long sense worn away) the spindle runs. But it sure does fire that spindle off. Still won't run a program nor execute a block in MDI mode. I was able to reference the machine a couple of times but....

Now I can't get the machine to reference. In fact, the power on sequence has changed. I press CE to clear the Power Interrupted error. I don't get the prompt to energize the DC supply. I do anyway and confirmed the drives led's light. I didn't actually check the voltage. I don't see any messages on the screen to traverse the reference point. But I press the START button anyway. Spindle runs. No movement.

I think I have been doing some serious backsliding today.

I initially assumed the machine parameters were all intact because the machine referenced and jogged. Now I am not so sure. I wanted to write down the parameters. Hardcopy backup seemed prudent before I messed around trying to figure out how to download them via serial port.

I did copy down the user parameters (limit extents, reference order etc) but cannot seem to read or write machine parameters.

I used the MOD button, entered code 95148 and expected to be able to scroll through the params and copy them down. I can scroll through just fine but there are no values visible. (I actually tried this process soon after I got the control live and saw no values then either.) I can jump to various parameters. No values seen. I just see a question mark. I tried entering a few where there would be no harm done. (speed on the 4th axis for instance because there is no 4th drive). After entering the number and ENT nothing happens. In fact, the numbers don't even appear on the screen.

I must be overlooking something fundamental. What is it? Machine parameters really missing in action?

I downloaded a parameter listing (from a forum thread) for a similar Interact 1 (one with an air variable spindle motor) so I think I am all set to at least get some of the fundamentals set but I don't want to attempt that until I get a better indication if I have really lost the parameters and is that the source of my problems.

I am sure that once I get past the "machine parameter" problem I will have more questions but I would consider it a good day if I could get the parameters copied down or re-entered if they are truly gone.

Any advice is appreciated.

Mark

[gridley51]

Go back to where you were before messing with the spindle drive and see if the control functions return.
The KTK is phase sensitive and needs the auxillary voltages to be in phase and at the correct voltage.
The control looks for a drive ready signal from the ktk.You can fake this.
If that then lets you run a programme you would also need to fake a spindle at speed signal too or it would fault out on "spindle not at speed" or similar.
When you first power the machine up the KTK should have three red leds lit.After referencing you should have four.

[mwoodard]

I definitely think I will go back to that and see if I can get the machine to reference again. It sure makes sense.

Any thoughts about the observations that I made regarding the machine parameter?

To be succinct.

1. When I use the MOD button, code and down arrow to review the machine parameters, scrolling from Parm 0 - 263, should I see a value for each?

2. If I don't see a value, does that mean there are no parameters stored?

3. If I use the number pad and the ENT button, should I see a value entered on the screen

4. ...and should it be visible then next time I power up and review machine parameters?

5. Am I executing the correct process to review, edit and save machine parameters?

Thx. Mark

[machintek]

If you had no parameters, it would come up in German that your parameters were missing. After pressing CE, it would go to the first parameter and display a ?.
Maybe the CRT is screwed up and the beam is so wide that the vales are not able to be seen. No, I have never seen such a problem.

George

[gus]

Tha is an interesting thought

An image of the screen would tell us a lot.

[mwoodard]

From what I have read, I thought missing parameters would result in German text and immediate opportunity to enter parameters.

I think I should go examine the screen more closely. Maybe the values are not displayed WHERE I am looking.

Is it possible that the parameters have been reset to zero? Did I (or previous owner) fat finger something? That might explain how the control thinks there is no loss of params yet shows 0. Because 0 is entered.

Mark

I turned the screen intensity up. Low and behold. I see parameters. Thanks for the lead.

[mwoodard]

I can now see the parameters. It sure was something simple that I overlooked. Screen intensity. I forgot I was dealing with 80's display technology. Some engineer assumed I was competent. Wrong.

I'll feel better having a hardcopy of the parameters in my hand.

I then need to go sort out the relay logic to see why the spindle turns on immediately on pushing the START button. See if I have a FEED HOLD condition. See if the TNC is commanding M03. Relay hung?

More fun. Thanks for the assist.

Mark

[mwoodard]

Bridgeport Interact I MK2 w/Heidenhain TNC151B and KTK spindle drive.....

I think my face is regained its normal color now that I figured out how to turn up the monitor intensity so I can actually see ALL of the text being displayed.

Machine parameters are safe. Referencing process is normal. Spindle operation is in question.

I have a set of schematics which came with the machine but they don't show all of the interconnections between the components in the spindle drive. Specifically, the connections between the THY, SOL and FMC boards are not all shown.

I am trying to track down why the spindle starts instantly upon pressing the CYCLE START button. The spindle starts even when I press it to initiate the axis referencing process. I don't think that is logical. It seems to me I read that very few things can happen until the machine completes the reference sequence.

The schematic shows that the START button energizes and latches the spindle contactor which makes connections from the output of the THY board to the motor armature. The motor field voltage is applied via the MTI board. The TNC controls the spindle start relay via the MTI board.

I assume then that the MTI board also controls the armature DC out of the THY board in addition the field DC. There is DC voltage present at the THY DC out all the time which is applied to the armature winding when the spindle contactor energizes. If the MTI didn't control the armature voltage, anytime the spindle contactor is energized, there would be current flow in the armature winding regardless of field voltage presence. That doesn't make sense to me so I figure the MTI controls the THY output.

In my case the spindle motor comes on regardless of the state of the M03/M04 and the 0-10V lines. The TNC is not commanding spindle on. The TNC is not providing 0-10V for a commanded speed. The motor spins because there is field and armature voltage applied without TNC output. My guess is that the MTI is supposed to be but is not controlling the FMC/SOL/THY assembly.

On my schematic, there is no connection shown to the THY board save, 3PH in and DC out to the armature. I know this isn't accurate because I can see the wires into it from the SOL board. Some of the connections between the MTI and the FAC board are shown but without labels. I have read a number of posts which indicate that there are some additional interconnect diagrams/manuals which might help me sort this out.

Can anyone help me out here? Manuals? Drawings? Suggestions? Critical observations and comments are all welcome. The intensity on the monitor is turned up. :-)

Mark

[gridley51]

I have a lot of experience with these drives but on Beavermills.There are differences on the drives fitted to Bridgeports.
The Sol 1 board is a multipurpose board,it depends upon how it is wired what it actually does.
One word of warning,be very careful disconnecting any of these boards,don`t just glance at them and think it`s all numbered.Check to wire numbers against the terminal numbers.
When you power the machine up and before you press the start button to reference,which leds are lit on the drive?
I would have to look up the possible combinations but if you look at the bottom edge of the FAC-1R board,there are two leds about the middle.The left hand one should not illuminate until the machine has referenced.And when it has,the spindle should not turn until an analogue voltage is applied.
Based on what you have said already I would suspect your phase connections first.The KTK is phase sensitive in that the three incoming phases across the top of the board must be in rotation and the two auxillary phases at the bottom of the drive must match the first two at the top.
After that you have to suspect the FAC-1R board.If it goes faulty it`s possible for the spindle to start up and run away or just start up and run at a few hundred revs.
All this is assuming that no one has been messing with the connections.

[machintek]

Need a email address. I have a set of notes from a Bridgeport maintenance class on this spindle drive.

George

[mwoodard]

Thanks George. I sent my email address to you in a PM.

[mwoodard]

I am traveling just now and can't get back to this project until maybe Monday evening. I'll be sure to verify the phase relationship/connections when I get home. Can you tell me a bit more about the phasing requirements? Do I need to be concerned with the input phase relationship at the panel box or just internal wiring in the machine?

I will also check the exact LED conditions at various times in the process.

I am doing this from memory but I can tell you there are 3 of the LEDs turned on near the top of the FAC-1 upon power up. I don't remember exactly which 3 of the 5 or 6 are on. I also remember that there are 2 small relay on the bottom edge of the FAC with an LED on each side of them. 1 is on upon power up and the other comes on after reference sequence completes. The 7 segment displays show 00. I don't recall what the SOL board LEDs show. In fact I don't think I even noticed them. It is tucked up a bit behind the FAC.

Can you tell me what each of the various LEDs indicate? Do these provide status of the phasing?

Thanks for the help.

Mark